PORT AUSTIN — The Friends Promoting Port Austin is hosting A Christmas with Friends Holiday Concert to kick off the upcoming holiday season.

The concert will take place at 7 p.m. Nov. 26 at the Port Austin Community Playhouse, located at 35 Railroad St. in Port Austin. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children. Family packs, which include two adult and two child tickets, can be purchased for $25. All tickets are general seating.

Advance tickets are available through Wednesday, Nov. 23 at the Blue Spruce Motel in Port Austin, Main Street Mercantile in Bad Axe, Backstreet Quilt Shop in Elkton, The Frame Shoppe in Caro and Main Street Restaurant in Pigeon.

The concert will feature performances by the Thumbs Up Harp Circle and Dee Dee Tibbits. Also, special performances by Living Truth will reunite the Dee Dee Tibbits Family, as Dee Dee and Russ Tibbits will once again be joined on stage by their daughters, Melody and Megan Tibbits, according to program information submitted to the Tribune.

“The family performed all around the country for over 18 years as Living Truth, and Friends Promoting Port Austin (FPPA) is thrilled to have them reunite for our Christmas Concert,” program information states.

Dee Dee Tibbits performs more than 100 concerts a year, performing with Sonas and with Renaissance musical group from Saginaw Valley State University. Dee Dee Tibbits has 35 private students, does elementary assemblies, historical musical programs and mother/daughter banquets, according to program information.

“Dee Dee fulfilled a 25-year dream in 2009 with the release of her Christmas CD, “In the Still of Winter,” where she is joined by daughters, Melody and Megan. Her CD features many of her unusual instruments: An antique Ukelin, a melodica, a Hurdy Gurdy, an antique harp-like sither and an Irish bouzouki,” program information states.

Her CD will be available to purchase during the concert’s intermission.

FPPA Music Coordinator Mary Barnes told the Tribune the Thumbs Up Harp Circle will perform ensemble music usually featured only in metropolitan areas across the country.

“You know how there are trends in everything? In the harp community, across the country and internationally, there are a lot of people who play Celtic harp music … ensemble music is like the cutting edge,” she said. “ … Here we are in the middle of nowhere, and we’re doing what they do in New York City and Seattle and all these different places.”

The Thumbs Up Harp Circle was formed earlier this year, though FPPA had an idea for a concert of harp music to welcome in the holiday season three years ago. At the time, Barnes did not know any other harpists in the Thumb area, but she previously belonged to a harp circle in Massachusetts when she lived in Connecticut and New York. After moving to the Thumb, she missed the fun of playing the harp with others.

“I didn’t know there were other people who played harp in the area — it’s more of an unusual instrument, a rare (instrument),” she said.

As she started doing concerts, Barnes met others who either played harp or were interested in playing harp.